Life-raft.



Patente'd 1an. I, I90I.

H. AYLMEB.

LIFE RAFT.

\Applicavtion led Hm'. 5,' 1900 (No llndel.)

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' wnNEssE UNITED TATES ATENT Ormea.

HENRY AYLMER, OF SHERBROOKE, CANADA.

LIFE-RAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,302, dated January 1, 1901.

Application led March 5, 1900. Serial No. 7,316. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY AYLMER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Sherbrooke, in the county of Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Life-Rafts, of Which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to a life-saving device for use at sea; and it is adapted to be kept in sufficiently large numbers on board vessels, at life-saving stations, or at other desirable point-s and so constructed as to occupy but small space and of such a nature as to be always ready for use, so that no time may be lost however great the number of people to be saved.

More particularly the invention consists -of a raft which may conveniently be made of any size Whatever. It com prises an inclosure of raft shape, formed, conveniently, of any appropriate l'leXible material, like cloth, canvas, or rubber, but preferably ol a material that will not stretch, or the material may be of the kind usually employed for the covering of pneumatic bicycle-tires, for the raft is to contain inner expansible rubber tubes, and the object of the covering of canvas is to keep the raft in proper shape in the same manner that the covering of a pneumatic bicycle-tire keeps the tire in proper shape When inflated. The canvas cover forming the ontside of the raft and above described is subdivided into longitudinal tubular compartments by means of canvas partitions, and inside of these compartments are retained individual inflatable soft-rubber tubes terminated by pipes, all of which enter a common main pipe extending along the outside of the raft. Each connecting-pipe has a valve. The common tube connects with a compressed-air reservoir. Ordinarily air under high pressure is maintained in the reservoir, and to this end the saine should be inspected at regular intervals to make certain that the raft is ready for use. In view of the construction the device is adapted to be absolutely safe, because if a tube should have a small leak from which the air would escape in the course of a day or so the raft may be kept inflated by the people on board by means of a pump, which can be carried on the raft and coupled on the end of the common pipe where the latter has been nncoupled from the reservoir. Of course the raft might have rough handling by its passengers and might meet with accident, and there is the risk of a `tube being punctnred. Accordingly this tube may be kept inflated by means of lthe pump on the raft.

Figure l is a plan view of the whole raft in an inliated condition. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same raft. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the raft at the line X in Fig. l.

A is araft-shaped canvas inclosure having parallel longitudinal canvas partitions B,con taining soft inflatable rubber tubes O.

D is a common pipe extend-ing along one end of the raft A.

E represents pipes communicating between and connecting main common pipe D with the respective tubes O, the tubes having each a valve F, adapted to cut off the air connection or to open the air connection between said common pipe D and said Lube O.

J is a coupling between the com pressed-air reservoir K and the common pipe D.

In Eig. 3 the small hand-cylinder G has a detachable connection to the common pipe D by means of a rubber tube l, the object being to so construct the device that passengers may easily maintain the tubes expanded even if such tubes leak.

J is a coupling between the pump-cylinder G and the common pipe D.

The operation of the device is as follows: There may be any number of rafts kept on hand, and the iexible portion may be rolled np against the common pipe D and packed away Where they can be easily drawn out by those in need of them. Simply open the valve L between the reservoir K and the pipe D and the raft becomes instantly inliated. In the normal condition of construction the air compressed within the reservoirs would remain under compression for almost an indefinite time; but as air is very difficult to confine it should be a rule for an inspector to examine the devices once a week or oftener, if desired, though this precaution is really not necessary. The reservoir K is of strong metal,and the air should be maintained therein under high pressure by means of any IOO suitable complessoron board ship. The reservoir is to be of any suitable size and shape for convenient stowage and to be coupled onto the common pipe D until the air would be let out into the tubes and then to be uncoupled and entirely disconnected from the raft and left on the Vessel or thrown away. The raft-pump is to be coupled onto the common pipe D immediately after the reservoir is disconnected.

A merit not to be lost sight of, I believe, resides in the fact that although water may leak through a perforation into one of the pipes the pump G on the raft may be Worked, and thus drive out the water. Where the raft is crowded with passengers and others holding onto the sides, the buoyancy of each tube might be called into play, or, if the puncture were above Water the same principle applies by forcing air into the punctured HENRY AY LMER.

Witnesses:

PAUL LONG, JOHN P. WELLS.

[L. s l 

